Running for Office? Urine for a Surprise
Any candidate seeking elected office in Texas would be required to take a drug test when he or she files to run, under a proposal that the state Senate approved Tuesday. Full Story
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Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Budgetline: Jane Nelson, From Renegade to Ringleader
In this episode of Budgetline, Aman and Ross sit down with Senate Finance Chairwoman Jane Nelson, who voted against her first state budget in 1993 as a freshman senator and is now in charge of writing that most essential piece of legislation. Full Story
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House Passes $4.9B Tax Cut Plan That Includes Sales Tax Cut
The Texas House tentatively approved a $4.9 billion tax relief plan Tuesday that includes a cut to the state’s sales tax, marking a clear line in the sand against the Senate, which favors property tax cuts. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, celebrates passage of his tax cut measures during the House session April 28, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
A Look at the Priority Bills for Straus and Patrick
Here's an updated breakdown of House Bills 1-20 and Senate Bills 1-20, showing where House Speaker Joe Straus and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick are placing their priorities for the 84th legislative session. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus (left) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.]()
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Analysis: Legislative Overtime? Look to the Federal Courts
If the Texas Legislature has to come back for special sessions after its current session ends, it might not be because state lawmakers left something unresolved. It might trace back to election lawsuits pending in federal courts. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Anneke Paterson / Todd Wiseman -
Inside Texas Politics: Breakfast Blowup
On this week's edition of WFAA-TV's Inside Texas Politics, host Jason Whitely, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Bud Kennedy and Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey talk about last week's "breakfast blowup." Full Story
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![Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey talks to WFAA "Inside Texas Politics" host Jason Whitely on April 26, 2015.]()
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The Playlist: Canary in a Coal Mine
How the House and Senate resolve their budget differences could offer clues about toxicity levels between the chambers for the balance of the session, so here's The Police, playing "Canary in a Coal Mine." Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by John Jordan -
Texas House GOP Caucus Endorses Sales Tax Cuts
With the Texas House set to vote on tax cuts, almost all of the Republicans in that chamber — 90 of 98 — signed a letter released Saturday endorsing sales tax cuts over the property tax cuts favored by the Texas Senate. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, discusses his border security bill.]()
Credit: Julian Aguilar -
Video: The Future of Energy
On 4/24, I talked about the future of energy policy in Texas with SMU's Bruce Bullock; state Rep. Drew Darby, R-San Angelo; former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Antonio Garza; and state Rep. Morgan Meyer, R-Dallas. Full Story
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Roundup: The Politics of Pre-K and George P. Marks 100 Days
In the Roundup: The debate over early education reforms gets caught up in politics, a private school scholarship plan advances in the Legislature and George P. Bush marks his first 100 days as land commissioner. Full Story
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Analysis: Tax Cuts an Easy Way to Grade State Lawmakers' Work
The Texas Legislature has fewer than six weeks left in this session and thousands of bills to consider. But you can get a pretty good feel for how things are going by watching their efforts to cut taxes. Full Story
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![State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick at a budget press conference on Jan. 27, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
A Look at How House, Senate Budgets Compare
This week, the House and the Senate named the members of a conference committee that will resolve the differences between the two chambers' budget plans. Here’s a look at how the two proposals compare, with details on some areas where the plans diverge. Full Story
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Budgetline: The Cemetery at the End of the Budget
In this episode of Budgetline, an occasional TribCast series on the Texas budget, Aman and Ross explore the place at the end of the budget where unfunded items go. While it's charitably referred to as "the wish list," budget watchers say it more often serves as "the cemetery," or "where dreams go to die." Full Story
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Grassroots Advisory Panel Creates Drama for Patrick
The panel of conservative activists that is advising Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is putting him in a tricky spot as he navigates leadership politics under the dome. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during inaugural parade up Congress Ave. on January 20th, 2015]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Senate Announces Budget Negotiation Team
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has named the Senate lineup of budget negotiators who will meet with House counterparts and hash out a final version of the two-year state budget. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick after votes on first reading of SB #11 March 18th, 2015]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Legislative Tensions Peak at Leadership Breakfast
A weekly leadership breakfast went sour Wednesday as the state's top three officials complained to one another about legislative packages and the tensions between a House and Senate that have just weeks left to complete their work. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during Texas Public Policy Foundation's grand opening of new building on April 21st, 2015]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Straus Taps House Team for Budget Negotiations
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus Wednesday named his five-member team to craft a final budget for the next two years, and House members urged the team not to focus on tax cuts — a contentious issue between the House and Senate. Full Story
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![Speaker Joe Straus on the floor of the Texas House on April 17, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Senate Committee Backs Hazlewood Program Changes
Amid concerns raised about the rising costs of a college tuition program for military veterans, a Texas Senate panel on Wednesday backed a plan that would tighten eligibility rules. Full Story
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Analysis: Legislative Dance Partners Stepping on Each Other's Toes
The Texas House and Senate are ignoring each other's work, slowing progress on bills like open carry and border security legislation. They're ruffling feathers, too. Full Story
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![Texas House Ways and Means Chairman Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, talks over amendments to border security legislation on March 1, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Seniors Who Fail State Exams May Have Chance at Diploma
Thousands of high school seniors who haven't passed the required state exams are close to getting a chance at a diploma anyway under a measure advancing in the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman